Page 24 of Sins and Secrets

“She kicked me out.” He lifts his head and, whoa, he looks like shit. He’s pale and clammy and his eyes are all bloodshot.

I guess I need to play dumb. “Who?”

“Waverly.”

Her name out of his lips feels like a curse, and he says it wrong.

“Why did she leave you?”

He groans, “Because she’s a crazy bitch.”

My knuckles turn white while my whole body tenses. Lightning flashes of rage course through my body, and his face is the perfect lightning rod.

If I go to jail, who will open the shop tomorrow? How many clients would I miss?

“Want to try that again?” I say in a slow, menacing growl.

Adam rolls his big stupid head to the side and blinks at me. “I don’t know why.”

“Look, if you’re going to lie to me, I’m leaving.” I step away but he grabs me.

“I fucked up.”

“Obviously.”

“Where am I going to live?”He reaches for me again.

“Well you’re sure as shit not staying with me.” I yank my arm out of his grasp. I hated living with him as a kid, and the thought of him in my space now? Nope. I’d rather torch the whole place. “But, I’ll take you to Mom’s.”

He bangs his head on the bar and groans like a sad little boy. “Fine.”

Next thing I know, I’m carrying him out of the bar, but there’s no way I’m letting him puke in my car.

“Give me your keys.” His ride is nicer than my first apartment. No doubt Mom paid for it. His forehead makes a grease stain on the window as he lets out tiny moans. “How could she do this to me?”

I turn up the volume on the radio, I’m in no moodto answer obvious questions.

“She needs me.” He whines. I grit my teeth and white knuckle the steering wheel, trying not to voice my thoughts. I firmly disagree.

He sniffles and cries a little. “I’m the only thing keeping her safe.”

He’s dumb and delusional.

“I love her.”

Doubtful. But… if there’s anyone who’s easy to fall in love with, it’s Waverly.

He whimpers and sniffles the rest of the ride. Once we pull into the driveway, I’m hit with a million mixed feelings. I swore I would never come back to this house. No one loved me here. It was never safe.

I park the car and walk over to the passenger door. As I open the door, Adam rolls out and faceplants in the grass by the curb. I would like to say I made an effort to catch him, but… my reflexes must have been affected as well. I smirk internally as I watch him try to push himself off of the ground. Jesus, how much did he have to drink?

He’s heavier than he looks, though, and I expend way more effort than I want to by lifting him back up and and supporting him with my shoulder under his arm. “Come on, help me out.”

He groans and takes a few steps before dragging his feet again. “I need her.”

“Then you probably should’ve kept your dick in your pants,” I grumble as I do all the heavy lifting. The doorbell chimes and I slide him onto a bench on the porch. He pulls his knees to his chest and starts crying. Again.

Richard answers the door. His head moves between me and Adam and he sighs. “Guess Waverly finally got some sense about her.”

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